Quality Assurance

ATL maintains a comprehensive Quality Assurance and Quality Control program to assess data quality, ensure analytical data is within method specified control limits, and comply with project specific QAPP requirements. Wherever applicable, elements of the following QA/QC protocols are used:

• EPA Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxics Organic Compounds in Ambient Air (TO-3 through TO-14) EPA-600/4-87-006
• EPA Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Toxics Organic Compounds in Ambient Air, Second Edition, Compendium Method TO-15, EPA/625/R-96/010b
• EPA Compendium of Methods for the Determination of Air Pollutants in Indoor Air
• Test Methods for Evaluating Solid Waste, SW-846, Third Edition, Final Update III, Revision 1, December, 1996
• Statement of Work for the Organic Superfund Contract Laboratory Program 10/86
• Guidelines Establishing Test Procedures for the Analysis of Pollutants Under the Clean Water Act 40 CFR (136) 1984
• NIOSH Manual of Analytical Methods
• California Air Resources Board Stationary Source Test Manual;
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District Manual of Procedures;

ATL's Laboratory Quality Assurance Manual provides documentation of all QA/QC procedures in place, including:

•  personnel responsibilities, training, and ethics policy;
•  test methods;
•  validation;
•  traceability;
•  accuracy and precision guidelines;
•  Method Detection Limit or Limit of Detection;
•  sample handling;
•  chain of custody procedures;
•  sample tracking;
•  proposal review;
•  analytical procedures;
•  waste storage and disposal;
•  data reduction and reporting;
•  quality control and corrective action procedures;
•  preventive maintenance; and
•  performance and system audits.

A copy of the Laboratory QAM is available upon request.

Audits and Certifications

ATL participates in EPA's WP performance evaluation program. We routinely undergo on-site audits and analyze proficiency samples submitted by certifying agencies as well as independent clients. ATL currently holds the following certifications, validations and approvals:

•  Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality
•  California State Department of Health Services
•  Florida State Department of Health
•  Louisiana State Department of Health
•  New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
•  New York State Department of Health
•  Utah State Department of Health

In addition, ATL is a participant in the NIOSH PAT proficiency program.

ATL's Quality Assurance (QA) Department administers a routine in-house and second source quality control (QC) check sample program and conducts annual internal laboratory audits. The audits consist of extensive check-points encompassing both the technical and quality aspects of the laboratory operations. Any deficiencies noted are managed through a formal corrective action plan process.

Air Toxics Ltd. is among a select number of environmental laboratories to receive NELAC accreditation. In 1990, the EPA received complaints from the laboratory community regarding the burden of multiple accreditations due to lack of a nationally recognized environmental laboratory accreditation program. The result was NELAC, or the National Environmental Laboratory Accreditation Conference. NELAC is an association of the USEPA, State, and other Federal agencies formed to establish and promote mutually acceptable performance standards for the inspection and operation of environmental laboratories. NELAC standards include specifications contained in ISO/IEC 17025 by the International Organization for Standardization. The major goal of NELAC is to assure that decisions being made from analytical data have a sound technical, scientific, and statistical basis. The standards have been designed to help assure that the NELAC-accredited laboratories deliver data of the required level of quality. Air Toxics' Quality Assurance program and Laboratory Quality Assurance Manual comply with NELAC standards. (Source: NELAC website at http://www.epa.gov/nelac/)